A.J. has been playing for PHYBA since the inaugural year. The very young and shy 8-year-old and his older brother Jon were instrumental in winning the very first Tykes Championship as member of the Brampton Cougars. It was evident at such a young age that he had the natural athleticism and skills to be the dominant player among his peers. But after that first year, winning the championship proved elusive to him. In the second year, with A.J. playing in Tykes without his big brother, the young Cougars did not do very well against the more experienced teams of Dolce & Griffins. Team discord from bickering and rivalry prompted a sensitive A.J. not to return for a 3rd season with the Cougar Tykes. PHYBA had lost a future marquee player.

A chance encounter in the September prior to the fourth PHYBA year was to change the fortunes of North Stars, and bring one of PHYBA’s favourite sons back into the fold. Though North Stars were just starting to turn around their Tykes program, they still struggled in attracting talent against the more established and stronger teams. The North stars had invigorated their philosophy with a new mission to develop the whole player, and not focus on game results. When a North Stars’ member ran into the Mandani family, they asked if he would for the North Stars. With a determined new coach, and strength and conviction of the North Stars philosophy, A.J. finally found the team that he wished to truly be a part of. North Stars earned his and his family’s loyalty and faithfulness which have been integral part of the North Stars continued success.

That first year in peewee were still difficult. With 4 rookie players on an 8 player roster, North Stars peewee struggled against the powerhouses of Dolce and Griffins. A.J. provided legitimacy to North Stars, but his skills weren’t enough to carry an inexperienced team against the older peewee players. The fourth year, with a stronger supporting cast, A.J.’s North Star peewees were legitimate contenders, but lost a heartbreaking championship game against Griffins. It was not until big brother Jon rejoined A.J. on the North Stars bantams, did it become apparent that it was now the North Stars that were the legitimate powerhouse. The North Star bantams won the championship and started a string of championship wins that still exists 7 years later of which one or both of the Mandani brothers were a part of.

His basketball success was not just confined to the Filipino leagues. He was instrumental for his elementary school for coming in runner-up and as champions in the Dufferin Peel Catholic Intermediate Championships while in Grade 7 and 8 respectively. He was also the driving force for his high school team, Ascension, in winning the Bantam (Grade 9) and Junior (Grade 10) championships for the entire Region of Peel.
Hoping to help realize his potential, North Star coaches encouraged A.J. to play in the OBA. His first year playing for Malton Mavericks, they won the 3rd tier Ontario Championships. He then tried out for the Nike Elite Midget Development program, a two-week camp where the best of Ontario midget-aged players were selected from province-wide tryouts, and where they trained and competed with each other. His team took 3rd place, and he got invaluable coaching from the top Ontario coaches. As well, A.J. played in several American Athletic Union tournaments, and did reasonable well.

But it was always North Stars hope that A.J. would prove himself and earn a U.S. college scholarship. To have any hope at earning a scholarship, he had to get exposure by being a great player on a team that wins or contends for championships. He had turned down an early offer to play for the high-school basketball powerhouse of Eastern Commerce (Jamal Magloire’ alma mater) to play in the more comfortable surroundings of Ascension. Unfortunately, his early years on the senior team proved unlucky and unsuccessful as older Ascension players lacked the commitment and discipline, and the team continued to fall short of earning a shot at the Region of Peel senior championship or contending in the OFSAA tournament.

In his final year, with A.J. being the leader on the team, the Ascension senior team made it to the championship game against repeat-Champions, Father Goetz, lead for most of the game, and only lose. The following OFSAA tournament where the best high school teams played ended up with lackluster results. A vital key for exposure was not achieved, and many believed a scholarship was now unlikely. But A.J. persevered, attended a couple of development basketball camps in the U.S., and dominated the field… garnering interests from several small colleges.

In the summer of 2006, A.J. Mandani accepted a scholarship offer from South Suburban College, a junior college in the suburbs of Chicago. In his first year in the Health Sciences program, he played well for the South Suburban … to win the JUCO championship of the region in spring of 2007. They then were invited to play for the U.S. National JC championship, where they ended up in 7th place out of the nations top 16 teams. He then flew in to Washington DC to play for PHYBA in the NABA tournament in early September. He is now back at South Suburban for his 2nd year, hoping to improve on their 7th place national finish, and looking for interest from NCAA schools.

With much hope that one of PHYBA’s favourite sons continues to makes us all proud, Good luck to A.J. Mandani!